50–40–90 club

Informally, the 50–40–90 club is the group of National Basketball Association (NBA) players who have had a shooting percentage at or above 50% for field goals, 40% for three-pointers, and 90% for free throws during an entire NBA regular season while also achieving the NBA minimum number of makes in each category.[1][2] Only seven players have had 50–40–90 seasons.

50–40–90 indicates a great all-around shooting performance and is considered the ultimate standard for shooters.[3] Only Steve Nash (four times) and Larry Bird (twice) have repeat 50–40–90 seasons. Nash's lifetime 49–43–90 average is the closest anyone has come to achieving a career 50–40–90 mark.[4].

Nash narrowly missed five consecutive 50–40–90 seasons by shooting at 89.9% from the free throw line for the 2006–07 season, one made free throw short of the 90% mark.[6] While not a criterion, it is notable that Curry is the only member to average at least 30 points-per-game during a 50–40–90 season, with Bird narrowly missing the mark at 29.93 ppg during his second 50–40–90 season. Nash (during his second 50–40–90 season) and Curry are the only members to achieve a 50–40–90 season while also beating one of the criteria by an additional 5%, with both of them averaging at least 45% (versus 40% required) on their three-pointer shooting. While unofficial in the postseason (due to the NBA minimum number of makes in each category), Bird is the only player to win a championship while achieving the feat during the postseason (minimum 15 points per game): in the 1986 NBA Playoffs he averaged 25.9 points per game while shooting 51.7% – 41.1% – 92.7%.

Similar to baseballbatting averages, official NBA shooting percentages are computed to the third decimal place (thousandths), but is referred to in a "percentage", rather than "permillage" like in baseball. A player who shot .8995 on free throws would be officially computed as shooting .900 and referred to as a 90% shooter, but a player who shot .8994 would be officially computed as shooting .899 and referred to as a 89.9% shooter. While the significant number is the same for the two sports, a baseball player with a batting average of .300 is referred to as a "three hundred hitter" rather than a "30% hitter".

While the NBA officially uses a three digit number, it reports shooting statistics in a shortened and rounded form as a percentage, so that .899 to the third decimal place is simplified as a two digit "90%" in most of its reporting.[7] Thus, a true 50–40–90 season requires a player to achieve or exceed 50.0 – 40.0 – 90.0.

This rounding to the second digit has pertinence regarding several near misses for 50–40–90 seasons, as the player's three digit results were "49.6 to 49.9" - "39.6 to 39.9" - "89.6 to 89.9" rather than fully 50.0% – 40.0% – 90.0%. These near-miss results can be found in secondary tables, below.

To qualify, a player also has to successfully make at least 300 field goals, 82 three-point field goals (since the 2013–14 season) and 125 free throws.[8] These values have been used since the 1999–2000 season except in the lockout-shortened 2011–12 season; requirements varied with the schedule length several times before that.[9]

This requirement to consistently produce through a season has pertinence regarding several players have been cited in the media or by their basketball clubs for having a 50–40–90 season, while ignoring the full minimum successful shots makes criteria required to be considered a leader in each category. For example, a book published in 2009 credits Steve Kerr as achieving a miracle 50–50–90 in the 1995–96 season, but ignores the fact that he was considerably short of the minimum requirements for field goals (short by 56 makes) or free throws (short by 47 makes) to be recognized officially.[10] These missed-minimums results can be found in another secondary table, below.

These are statistics for the seven players who have fully met the criteria of an official 50–40–90 season, with a shooting percentage at or above 50.0% - 40.0% - 90.0% (no "rounding up") while also making the minimum required successful shots in each category.

Five players, over seven attempts (two repeats), missed the 50–40–90 mark by less than 1.0% in one (or more) of the 50.0% - 40.0% - 90.0% criteria required. Three of these players – Bird, Nash and Nowitzki – did achieve official 50–40–90 seasons during their careers. The following table highlights, with color and asterisks, the statistical categories in which these five players fell short.

Three players missed the official 50–40–90 list above by finishing the season without meeting the needed minimum figures to be considered a statistical season leader in the respective category that particular year (minimums have varied over the decades[9]). The miss can also include one or more "miss up to two of 50.0% - 40.0% - 90.0% by less than 1.0%" added to the shortfelt numbers. The following table highlights, with color and asterisks, the statistical categories in which these three players fell short. The minimum requirements to be listed here are: within 15% of the needed made shots in no worse than two of the three categories.